Daniel 12

1. DANIEL 12
A VERSE BY VERSE
COMMENTARY

2. Daniel 12:1 “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great
prince which standeth for the children of your people: and
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there
was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your
people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book.”
This verse delineates the great event which brings the final
downfall of the king of the North.
"At that time shall Michael stand up"
Michael means "One who is like God." It is another title which
Inspiration gives to Christ. The expression "stand up" is used
repeatedly throughout Daniel 11. It means that a king, having
received power and dominion, commences to exercise his royal
authority. Throughout the long history traced by Daniel 11, many
princes have stood up to rule, but they have all been princes of
Gentile powers. Throughout the ages, the Israel of God have
longed for the time when their Prince would stand up and bring
them deliverance from the oppressive powers of earth.

3. The restoration of the kingdom to Israel with a Man on David's
throne has been the hope of Israel. But the restoration of the
kingdom and the King depends on something else. Jesus cannot
receive His kingdom until His sanctuary is cleansed, for He
cannot stand up as King while, He ministers as Priest. And He
cannot cleanse His sanctuary until He has perfected and sealed
His people. But when the moral image of Jesus is restored in His
people, and the last soul has received the seal of the living God,
Jesus can throw down the censer, saying, ''It is done (See Early
Writings, pp. 71, 279) then He receives His kingdom and stands up
to rule." "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great
voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become
the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for
ever and ever'' Revelation 11:15.

4. "The great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people”
Christ died for His Church, and ministers in the sanctuary for its
purification. It is the object of His supreme regard. When He stands up to
rule, His first concern is the deliverance of His people. They are
represented as standing on the glorious holy mountain, the focal point of
the king of the North’s furious attack.
"And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there
was a nation even to that same time."
The day of the Lord is a day of wrath upon the nations who "have fought
against Jerusalem; their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon
their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their
tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in
that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they
shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall
rise up against the hand of his neighbour" Zechariah 14:12, 13. "For it is
the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the
controversy of Zion" Isaiah 34:8. In Revelation 16 the outpouring of wrath
upon the nations is called the seven last plagues (Revelation 16). Great
Babylon is punished for all her warfare on the saints from the beginning to
the end of time (Revelation 18:20-24).

5. "And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one
that shall be found written in the book"
In the day of the Lord, all those whose names have been
retained in the Lamb's book of life during the judgment will
find eternal deliverance from their foes. The important point to
notice is that God is able to deliver His people at such a time
because, in the previous hour of the cleansing of the
sanctuary, they have been delivered eternally from sin.
Having been delivered from Satan's power within (Daniel
11:44), they are ready to be delivered from Satan's power
without (Daniel 12:1).
Daniel 12:2 “And many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some
to shame and everlasting contempt.”

6. This verse does not refer to the general resurrection of the
righteous at the Second Advent, but to a special resurrection
at the voice of God under the outpouring of the seventh vial
(Revelation 16:17; Joel 3:16). God's people are delivered by
the voice of God. The Holy Ghost is poured upon the living
saints, glorifying them before their enemies (See Early
Writings, pp. 15, 285, 286). Those who have died in the faith
of the third angel's message are raised as glorified saints to
hear God's covenant of peace with His people. Those also
who led out in the crucifixion of Jesus will be resurrected to
see Him come in glory (See Revelation 1:7; The Great
Controversy, p. 637).

7. And many of them that sleep - Here we have a resurrection
taking place during the time of the plagues.
Some to everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting contempt - The many that awake, or are
resurrected, are a mixed multitude consisting of some that will
gain eternal life and others that will not. These are being
resurrected at the same time. This cannot be the first
resurrection that takes place when Jesus comes as only the
righteous dead are raised in it. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) It also
cannot be the second resurrection that takes place at the end of
the thousand years as only the wicked dead are raised in it.
(Revelation 20:4-6, 14-15)
This can only mean that we have a special resurrection taking
place. Does the Bible support this? The answer is yes it does. In
Revelation 1:7 and Matthew 26:63-64 we learn that those that
took part in the crucifixion of Christ and the high priest will be
raised to see Christ coming in the clouds of heaven. This takes
care of those that will be raised to everlasting shame and

8. The righteous that will be a part of this special resurrection
are found in Revelation 14:13. The voice from heaven told
John to ’write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord
from henceforth’. Henceforth means from this time onwards,
or from now on. The time frame is found in the preceding
verses which is none other than the proclamation of the third
angel’s message that commenced in 1844. So from 1844
onwards those that die in the Lord were to be blessed. The
reason why they are blessed is that they are a part of the
special resurrection which has to take place during the
seventh plague if they are to see Christ coming in the clouds
of heaven. What a fitting reward for those that held their faith
in proclaiming the last message to a dying world to usher in
the coming of Christ, to see Him come in the clouds of glory.

9. Daniel 12:3 “And they that be wise shall shine as the
brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to
righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
They that be wise - As the margin reads, they that be
teachers.
Shall shine as the brightness of the firmament - Those
that teach the truth and proclaim the last message will be
vindicated by God. They will shine as the firmament for the
glory/ righteousness of God is revealed therein, (Psalms
97:6) thus the glory/righteousness of the Lord has risen upon
them. (Isaiah 60:1) Each of them had pushed aside the
darkness of the world and allowed the Sun of Righteousness
into their lives. (Malachi 4:2) God’s glory/righteousness is His
character, thus they are revealing Christ’s character in their
own lives by faith.

10. They that turn many to righteousness - This is a repeat of
the first part of the verse but with a little more information.
These teachers have faithfully given and lived the gospel
message and in turn many have been saved from eternal
ruin. So we could quite easily say that the purpose of
prophecy is to teach others the way of salvation.
This is the real conclusion to the vision by the river Hiddekel.
The long, turbulent stream of history has run its course. For
the saints it ends not in desert sands, but it flows out into the
sea - "the sea of glass." Fellow pilgrims, look up! The sky is
flushed with the glory of eternity!

11. CONCLUDING REMARKS
Daniel 12:4-13
Daniel 12:4 “But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and
seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run
to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
To the time of the end - Until 1798 the book of Daniel was to
be sealed. Therefore the book is now unsealed, and we are
able to gain a correct interpretation of the prophecies within.
After 1798, the date for the unsealing of Daniel, pace of
society has been rapidly increasing, likewise with the
increase of knowledge.

12. The prophecies of Daniel which relate to the time of the end,
especially the time prophecies, were sealed by divine
command. But the angel promised that when the time of the
end should arrive, "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased." The primary meaning of these words is
indicated by the context. "Run to and fro." This is a Hebrew
expression signifying a diligent searching back and forth in
the prophecies. At the appointed time "knowledge" of the
prophecies of Daniel would "be increased." In Revelation 10
is found the record of Christ unsealing the little book of Daniel
to the understanding of His people in the last days.
Paralleling the increased knowledge of the prophetic Word,
an astonishing progress in scientific knowledge has marked
the present age. In this generation man has broken the sound
barrier and the space barrier. But mere scientific knowledge
has not made the earth safer or the race happier.

13. The knowledge promised in Daniel 12:4 will enable God's
people to break the sin barrier. This will be a step in human
experience that will dwarf every other human achievement.
The people of God will be "men wondered at:" Zechariah 3:8.
God says: "Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of
the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." "I will
get them praise and fame in every land where they have
been put to shame." "And it shall be to Me a name of joy, a
praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth,
which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they
shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the
prosperity that I procure unto it.” Isaiah 62:3;Zephaniah 3:19;
Jeremiah 33:9. The book of Daniel contains the key to God's
final answer to the problem of sin. The light on the perfecting
of the saints through the final ministration of Christ in the
most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary will yet be seen to
overshadow every gem of thought conceived by all the
philosophers of all time.

14. Daniel 12:5-7 “Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there
stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the
river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6
And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was
upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the
end of these wonders? 7 And I heard the man clothed in
linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he
held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and
sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time,
times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished
to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things
shall be finished.”
Bank of the river - This is the same river as in chapter 10,
the Hiddekel, as there is no break in the prophecy thus far
from chapter 10. The River Euphrates/Tigris.

15. Man clothed in linen - This man clothed in linen was
standing upon the waters of the river as one of the men were
talking to him. Looking at this person in linen, we find that it is
the same person in Daniel 10:5-6, the person there was
Christ. Thus this is Christ here also.
How long shall it be to the end of these wonders - The
answer is divided into two parts, the 1260 days, and then the
scattering of the power of the holy people. When both these
things shall be accomplished then the end will come.
1260 days - 538-1798 A.D., the era of papal supremacy.

16. When he shall have...scattering the power of the holy
people –
The ‘he’ is a reference to God, to he who liveth for ever, as it
is He Who is working through the nations of the earth to fulfill
His plan to call as many as possible to salvation. This is the
spreading of the message into all the world. Sometimes
persecution is the only thing that will wake the people of God
up to seek Him and do the work He has asked of them. The
gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16) and
it is this power/gospel that is to go to all the world and then
the end will come. (Matthew 24:14) Revelation 14:6-7, the
everlasting gospel will be preached to every nation, kindred,
tongue and people and it shall be a glorious message:
Revelation 18:1

17. Daniel is permitted to hear one of the angels conversing with
Christ. They are just as anxious to know about the time of the
end as Daniel is. The church on earth and the church in
heaven constitute one church. It is the body of Christ, and the
angels realize how much sorrow and humiliation the Saviour
endures on account of His defective "body." They long for the
sanctuary to be cleansed and for the whole church to be
eternally finished with the problem of sin. They weep and sing
with the saints below. Therefore they are vitally concerned
about the final restoration. The prophecies of Daniel are
"things the angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter 1:12.

18. By comparing this passage with Revelation 10:1-6, it is found
that Christ Himself is the Man clothed in linen. In Daniel 12
He swore that the book would be sealed up till the end of the
1260 days. (See Revelation 12:6, 14.) In Revelation 10 He
swears that the book is unsealed. "And when he shall have
accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people." This
refers to the termination of the long period of Papal
persecutions in A.D. 1798. "All these things shall be finished."
The Septuagint reads, "They shall know all these things” that
is, after the period of Papal supremacy, the book of Daniel
would be unsealed, and God's people would be blessed with
the promised increase of knowledge.

19. Daniel 12:8-10 “And I heard, but I understood not: then
said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are
closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many
shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the
wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall
understand; but the wise shall understand.”
In his introductory remarks Daniel declares that he “had
understanding of the vision" that is, he understood the
meaning of the cleansing of the sanctuary and the restoration
of God's people in the last days. But he still did not
understand the time element. Therefore he inquired twice
how long it would be to the time of the end. Again he was told
that the matter was sealed until the time of the end.

20. "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but
the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked
shall understand; but the wise shall understand."
Since only the pure in heart can see the truth (Matthew 5:8),
none of the wicked would profit by the unsealing of the
prophecies of Daniel in the time of the end. "Light is sown for
the righteous.” Psalm 97:11.

21. Daniel 12:11-12 “And from the time that the daily
sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination
that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12
Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the
thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
These time prophecies have been a "happy hunting
ground “for would-be time setters. But the time
prophecies of Daniel were all understood by the
generation who lived in 1844."After this period of time,
reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite
tracing of the prophetic time “ Ellen G. White in The
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 971. In 1843 Charles
Fitch produced a great chart of the time prophecies of
Daniel.

22. On it appeared the four time periods of Daniel-the 2300 days,
the 1260 days, the 1290 days and the 1335 days. Except for
a six-month mistake of reckoning on the 2300 days,
Inspiration declares that the chart was correct: "I have seen
that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and
that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He
wanted them.” Early Writings, p. 74. On this 1843 chart the
pioneers figured the 1290 days from 508 to 1798, and the
1335 days from 508 to 1843. "The daily." This refers back to
Daniel 8:11, 12 and Daniel 11:31. As has been seen, the
support of Clovis, king of the Franks, established the
priesthood of the Catholic Church in A.D. 508. Christ's
continual mediation in the heavenly sanctuary was cast down
in favor of an earthly priesthood who blasphemously took
upon itself the prerogatives of Christ.

23. Shall be 1290 days - 1290 years from 508 A.D. takes us to
1798 A.D. and the fall of the temporal power of the papacy.
1335 days - From 508 A.D. an addition of 1335 years takes
us to 1843-44 A.D.
Blessed is he that waiteth - A blessing is pronounced upon
those who not only come to the 1798 date, but which are able
to also come to the second date at the end of the 1335 days.
Why is this? Because in 1798 the papacy received the deadly
wound, which was tremendous in itself, but in 1843-44 the
messages of the three angels began to be preached to the
world about the second coming of Christ. At this time the
church was in the period of Philadelphia and the experience
was one of tremendous blessing to all who later recalled
going through it.

24. "Blessed is he that waiteth." Since the prophetic periods have
ended, the special blessing of Christ's final intercessory work
is available as soon as the church makes the necessary
response. The hour of His judgment for His people is come.
The door to the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary is
open. It is time for the Advent people to look up in faith,
saying, "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the
time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.” Psalm 102:13.
Those who would place these time periods in the future are
like the Jews in Haggai's day who began to postpone the end
of the seventy years to the future. Although the seventy years
had ended in 536 B.C., and the time had then arrived to
restore the temple, they were saying in 520 B.C., "The time is
not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.”
Haggai 1:2. The captivity had ended years before, and the
temple should have been finished. So too, modern Israel's
captivity ended many years ago-in 1844. (See Prophets and
Kings, p. 714.)

25. The restoration of the heavenly sanctuary is long overdue.
Speculation on some future time period will only excuse
Laodicea's great sin of failing to grasp the mighty privileges of
this hour. The trumpet call of Joel 2 is now summoning God's
people to the sanctuary, that they may receive the blessing of
the ages. Even those who die in the faith of this judgment-hour
message
will receive the promised blessing. Speaking of those who die
during the sounding of God's last message, the Revelator
says, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from
hence-forth.” Revelation 14:13. These will come forth in the
special resurrection mentioned in Daniel 12:2.

26. Daniel was a unique prophet. The other prophets
spoke their messages to the people of God in their
own day, but Daniel could not speak about the final
restoration to the people of his generation. The great
light which he received was not for them. The Lord
chose Daniel to speak to the people of God in the
last days. He was the prophet divinely appointed for
this age. For centuries, while this holy seer was hid
in the grave, the great light on Israel's final
restoration was hid from the under-standing of men.
But not any longer. Daniel now stands in his lot. His
hour has come. Though dead, he speaks. How
blessed are the wise who hear and understand!